Vehicle Configuration Management: Notes

The vehicle configuration management system (VCM) is a system function and has the primary task of centralized storage of data structures in the vehicle. The VCM integrated in the central gateway module ZGM as a system function.

The vehicle order and the I-levels in addition to the security are stored in the CAS. This ensures that the information can be restored after the ZGM has been replaced. The information stored in the vehicle configuration management system can be called by diagnostic commands upon request from the diagnosis system or internal vehicle system functions.

This means that the current vehicle configuration is saved centrally at precisely one place and a consistent information status is assured. This configuration knowledge only needs to be maintained at only one place. As this information is stored in the vehicle it is available at all times to all systems outside of the vehicle (diagnosis, programming) and the systems inside of the vehicle (system functions).

A further primary task of the vehicle configuration management system is the query, cyclic or upon request, of the configuration of the currently installed control units, and to use this to generate an equipment installation table that represents the current status, SVT-current. A comparison between SVT-nominal and SVT-current then takes place in order to determine whether the configuration installed in the vehicle is the same as the configuration that the vehicle should have. A fault memory entry is saved in the VCM if this reveals any discrepancies.

Additionally, upon request the vehicle configuration management system generates lists of control units that have specific characteristics.

Finally, the vehicle configuration management system has the task of determining those control units that have different serial numbers since a reference time (writing of SVT nominal).

The Service Department can use this to determine those control units that have been replaced since this time.

After replacement or changes to hardware or software, for instance, it is much easier to reestablish a consistent and working status for the vehicle electrical and bus systems.

Furthermore, the required configuration must not be maintained by each system function itself. This produces savings in component development as well as in system integration and logistics as compared to previous systems. Additionally, faults due to inconsistent configuration information are prevented.

Deviations from the specified configuration (SVT-nominal) and the current configuration (SVT-current) queried by the control units are identified.